{"id":"urine-wbc","name":"Urine White Blood Cells (WBC)","shortName":"Urine WBC","aliases":["WBC, Urine","White Blood Cells, Urine","Urine WBC","WBC (UA)","WBC/HPF","Leukocytes, Urine (microscopic)","Pus cells","Urine White Blood Cells","White Blood Cells (Urine)","WBC (Urine)","WBCs, Urine","WBC, UA","WBC, Urine Microscopic","Pus Cells (Urine)","Pus cells/HPF","White Blood Cells, UA","WBC, Urine (Microscopic)"],"abbreviations":["WBC/HPF","Pus cells"],"loinc":[{"code":"5821-4","primary":true},{"code":"46702-7","primary":false},{"code":"20455-2","primary":false}],"specimen":"urine","units":[{"ucum":"/[HPF]","display":"/HPF"}],"referenceRanges":[{"population":"Adults","low":0,"high":5,"unit":"/[HPF]","unitDisplay":"/HPF","note":"Quest prints 5 or fewer per HPF and Labcorp prints 0–5 per HPF, as do four hospital lab tables in open-access case reports. AAFP (2022) treats more than 5 per HPF as consistent with a urinary tract infection when symptoms are present. AAFP (2005) is stricter for men (normally fewer than 2) and gentler for women (normally fewer than 5). Some labs print slightly different limits, so your report's own range comes first. This range applies to counts per high-power field only. Automated analyzers that report per microliter use different limits.","sources":[{"title":"Urinalysis, Complete (test code 5463)","url":"https://testdirectory.questdiagnostics.com/test/test-detail/5463/urinalysis-complete?cc=MASTER","publisher":"Quest Diagnostics"},{"title":"Urinalysis, Routine With Microscopic Examination on Positives: sample report (test 003038)","url":"https://files.labcorp.com/testmenu-d8/sample_reports/003038.pdf","publisher":"Labcorp","year":2026},{"title":"003038: Urinalysis, Routine With Microscopic Examination on Positives","url":"https://www.labcorp.com/tests/003038/urinalysis-complete","publisher":"Labcorp"},{"title":"Office-Based Urinalysis: A Comprehensive Review","url":"https://www.aafp.org/pubs/afp/issues/2022/0700/office-based-urinalysis.html","publisher":"American Family Physician","year":2022},{"title":"Urinalysis: A Comprehensive Review","url":"https://www.aafp.org/pubs/afp/issues/2005/0315/p1153.html","publisher":"American Family Physician","year":2005},{"title":"Unraveling the Complexity of Non-typhoidal Salmonella Genitourinary Infection in HIV: A Case Report and Management Strategy","url":"https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.79739","publisher":"Cureus (urinalysis table with the treating hospital's reference intervals)","year":2025},{"title":"An Emerging Human Pathogen: Raoultella Planticola","url":"https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.92875","publisher":"Cureus (urinalysis table with the treating hospital's reference intervals)","year":2025},{"title":"Unusual Presentation of Bladder Cancer in a Young Male With Significant Tattoo Exposure: A Case Report","url":"https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.69637","publisher":"Cureus (urinalysis table with the treating hospital's reference intervals)","year":2024},{"title":"An uncommon case of Chromobacterium violaceum urinary tract infection in a tertiary hospital in Ghana: a case report","url":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s13256-026-05855-w","publisher":"Journal of Medical Case Reports (urinalysis table with the treating hospital's reference intervals)","year":2026}]}],"review":{"status":"ai-verified","label":"AI-verified against cited sources. Awaiting expert review","lastReviewed":"2026-10-03"},"summary":"The number of white blood cells seen in a urine sample under a microscope. A few are common. More can be a sign of infection or irritation in the urinary tract.","url":"https://bloodtesttracker.com/markers/urine-wbc","notice":"Information, not medical advice. Ranges differ between labs, so the range on your own report is the one your result is judged against."}